A simple bit of Googling revealed something which made me feel a tiny bit happy and rather old the other night.
After England qualified for the 2014 Brazil world cup, I realised that it was 20 years and two days since that night in Rotterdam when England lost to Holland.
Yes good memories are still fresh: Ronald Koeman dragged down David Platt who was clean through on goal, referee gives a free kick to Holland and a yellow to Platt. Graham Taylor loses his Turnip head and shouts "what have they been instructed?" Thankfully we had Fantasy Football League to cheer us up on this incident (look up Koeman phoenix from the flames on YouTube).
Then of course we cared about England and its team of Geoff Thomas, Carlton Palmer and smatterings of the Arsenal defence. Now with a mis-firing front line of Wellbeck, Sturridge and Rooney, it was down to Tottenham's emerging great Andros Townsend to save them in both games :-)
The problem with England isn't that there are too many foreign players in the Premier league, it is who is there just isn't of interest. That 1993 team who didn't go go USA 1994 wouldn't have stood up against the then powerhouses of Brazil, Sweden, Germany, Nigeria and of course, Bulgaria.
Now there are likely to be as many England fans supporting the Real and Barca laced Spanish side, the new stars of Brazil or the Premier League eleven of Belgium.
England sadly find themselves with one option in goal, few options at centre back and the reality of a last tournament for Gerrard and Lampard.
The question which is in my mind is how this has happened when the under 21 side looked so good a few years ago? Tottenham's stars then of Danny Rose, Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore are all playing regularly, but promising players like Connor Wickham and Tom Cleverley have failed to show their potential in the big league.
One prominent player of four of the five world cups England qualified for since 1998 was a player who divided opinion but had unbelievable talent and is known for being a great ambassador for the English game - David Beckham. Do England need a new goldenballs, Gazza or captain Marvel? England need a player we all love, and while club loyalty outweighs national responsibilities for most, a superstar would carry the nation's hopes next summer.
Naturally you're expecting me to name Townsend as that player, but that would be silly after a great half season for QPR and a great run for Spurs in absence of Aaron Lennon and with the new stars breathing down his neck. Someone will emerge in the late season, metatarsals depending.
